


Lets Break Some Rules

by STUMPEDD



Category: Homestuck
Genre: #LetKarkatBeInLove2k17, Alternate Universe - Earth centered, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Damara is basically Zika from TLK 2, F/F, F/M, Fair warning as well: The trolls are designed a lil different than what most think, Fight scenes are hard to write lmao, Hello yes credit to ikimaru for reminding me I love superhero AUs, M/M, So you might get some awkward descriptions that make so sense oops, Thanks at Binji for supporting me in this ur the best my dude, almost forgot that ha, there is a lot of fluff and angst just fair warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-29
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-10-25 10:56:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10762836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/STUMPEDD/pseuds/STUMPEDD
Summary: fuck idk my dudes i love heroes and villains aus okay. Shout out to my text to speech translator for beta reading this.





	1. Colors

**Author's Note:**

> fuck idk my dudes i love heroes and villains aus okay. Shout out to my text to speech translator for beta reading this.

People never intend to become superheroes or supervillains. They just grow up and it happens. Sometimes people grow up alone and sometimes they grow up surrounded by friends. Maybe they grew up in a bad home or a great one. Childhoods shape people, they either become the danger or become the ones to stop those who threaten their home. Then there are people like Dave Strider. He decided to be a superhero for the hell of it. Why not? In a world where no color is visible until you fell in love, wouldn’t it just be smarter to spend your days saving people instead of desperately searching for a soulmate?

When he was younger he’d watch the heroes known as the ‘Alpha Kids’ fight crime amongst the city against the villainous Dancestors. He had about a thousand collectibles of them, watching them zip and zoom above the city together. Eventually, they fell victim to their enemies and the evil had one. Panic outraged, but for only a short time. After about two years everything went quiet. Dave grew, making new friends and almost completely forgetting about the Alpha Kids. That was until he’d turned 18 and him and his friends, John, Rose, and Jade, when out exploring beyond the town’s regions. They found a ditch. The very ditch where the Alpha Kids had died. Despite his friend’s warnings, Dave jumped in and approached the glowing green square. The very green square that legend stated to give the Alpha Kids their powers. He, once again despite his friend’s warnings, touched it.

When he’d eventually woken up, he found himself in a new outfit, cape included. John was the next to wake up, followed quickly by Jade and Rose. All in new outfits, and suddenly aware they had powers, all shared the ability to fly. John could control the wind at will, Rose able to use magic, Jade could manipulate areas and space, and Dave could briefly alter time.’ Only two days after they’d returned to the city with their new abilities, crime started up again and so, the four of them teamed up as the Beta Kids. They were ready to finish what had been started.

They spent most of their time replacing things and cleaning things up, never getting lucky enough to encounter anyone they would really get to fight. They mostly strived to challenge the Arachnid's Grip. A gang of thieves and bullies lead by the practically infamous Eightball and her four followers. She’s been elusive for ages, no one even catching the smallest glance. Tonight would be the night for them though, with a report of destruction downtown, the Beta Kids, minus Rose who was dealing with family matters, were on the move to catch Eightball and her gang in the act. “Hey Red Knight, could you move yourself a little faster? Since it’s like, your thing?” John yelled at Dave.

Dave gave a thumbs up and lowered himself to catch a better wind and did his best at flying towards the reported site as quick as possible. He froze when he saw a few shadowy figures on a rooftop, and he landed behind a vent on the building just beside where the figures had been. Soon he motioned for the others to go where he was as they arrived. They silently nodded to each other before leaping up and landing on the concrete edge of the rooftop, staring directly at Eightball. She turned around and laughed. Her messy black hair moved to cover her face. As she pulled it aside, her eyes became visible. One was covered with an eyepatch. Her horns were obvious giving away the fact that she was a troll. They were oddly shaped in terms of what the Beta Kids had normally seen. She quickly threw off her jacket and revealed a metal arm. “Oh, boy is this fun. The Beta Kids. Just four nerds trying to be cool! This is a day for the ages!”

John stepped forward a little bit and glared at her. “Your gig is up! We caught you red handed! Hand over everything you’ve stolen.”

Eightball raised a brow, staring at John. “Oh yes wow I’m so scared of a kid in a jumpsuit. God, you’re even worse at this than the Alphas.” With a snap of her fingers, two of her followers ran out from behind the large chimney they’d been hiding behind and stood at her side. One, a tall troll with wild hair who held bowling pins. The other was another troll just a tad shorter than Eightball, with sharp pointy horns and wore glasses that covered her eyes. “Alright Harlequin and Synesthesia, prove you’re actually good at something and get them!” Eightball ordered.

The two charged and the Beta Kids lept up, dodging their attacks and pulling out their own weapons. John grabbed his hammer and twisted it around until it was at its full size. Dave did the same with his katana and they both moved down to challenge the trolls. Jade moved around them to approach Eightball. It wasn’t hard for Dave to take down Synesthesia. She acted as if she couldn’t even see Dave, moving frantically as if just hoping to miss his attacks. John seemed to have beaten the other one, Harlequin Heart was it? Dave could hardly keep up with all these names. Jade wasn’t so lucky, Eightball knocking her down quickly. “God damn you are all useless! Passion! Get over here!”

A female troll wearing an outfit that seemed very impractical for a fight walked out. “Why can’t Stray do this?”

Eightball sighed. “Because Mrs. I’m Obsessed With Beauty Despite There Being No Color In This World, he’s good at stealing and hiding shit. I like to keep him in his line.”

Passion Hazard mocked Eightball as she stepped forward. She pulled out a small purse and yanked some lipstick from inside. John and Dave shared a look before turning back to her. She pressed a button on the bottom of the lipstick, throwing it up and watching it transform into a chainsaw. Jade came back to her senses and stood, running to John to help him out with Passion. Dave grinned and walked up towards Eightball. She huffed. “Damnit. Stray get out here. I’m not getting my hands dirty.”

Dave turned to see someone else jump on top of the chimney and walking around the outside into the light. He wore a mask, unusual since none of the others did. He met Dave’s gaze, and Dave felt himself, and the world, spinning. He shut his eyes and when he opened them again, everything was brighter. There was no darker three-scale colored void. He could clearly see new colors, the red of his outfit and the blue of John’s. Quickly, Dave turned to look up at the one he’d known was called Stray Cat for a long time. He was just as popular as Eightball, mysterious and unknown. Stray was breathing heavily and blinking as if he thought he was imagining. Stray jumped down from the chimney and carefully took small steps towards Dave. Stray froze beside Eightball and then walked back. “I’m not dealing with this either. I-I have the stuff to hide,” he stuttered out before turning and racing towards the edge of the roof and jumping to the next one.

Dave couldn’t stop staring after him, still taking in all the new colors and thoughts of the moment. He was too deep in the trance he didn’t hear John and Jade’s cries or see Eightball’s fist heading his way. In a sudden moment, the colors and thoughts were gone, black was the last thing he saw again before losing consciousness. 


	2. Family Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello yes you get a little bit of what trolls in this universe look like how cool is that

Karkat ran along the edge of buildings, running along green stairways beside apartment buildings and twirling around lamp posts. Kanaya ran beside him, laughing as he skipped around. Vriska was far ahead of them at this point, as she usually was when the gang was heading back home. Gamzee and Terezi were somewhere on the ground spray painting the gang’s mark to send another jolt of fear into the city. Surprisingly, the new ability to see color had yet to phase Karkat. So what he’d found his soulmate? The idiot was a beta kid and not worth any of the time Karkat could give him. It was, of course, nice to see color, his friend’s outfits certainly looked better out of a grayscale view.

As he landed at the base of the house, he was joined quickly by the others. They walked inside, and Karkat was immediately pulled aside. Damara stood in front of him grinning. “Oh, my sweet Karkat! How was tonight?” She asked, brushing his hair back and lightly kissing his forehead.

Karkat laughed and pulled away from her grip. “It was great. Well, sort of. We got a lot of stuff but we had a small run in with those Beta Kids or whatever,” he said with a shrug. Damara’s eyes widened and Karkat quickly added, “They’re total idiots! Two of them clearly didn’t know how to fight and the other one froze up for some reason. They aren’t a problem at all.”

Damara relaxed and placed a hand on Karkat’s cheek. “Go get some rest. You’ve earned it.” She walked off towards the others and Karkat sighed as he went up the stairs. Damara had been the soulmate of Karkat’s older brother, Kankri. They were very happy together and Damara adored Karkat even then. After Kankri had died in a fight with the Alpha Kids, Damara turned to Karkat, who was only seven. She raised him on the idea of thievery and villainy. It was the best thing Karkat could ask for, a family beside him terrorizing the city that had lead to his brother’s death? Who would want anything else? Damara cared for Karkat in every single way as if she was his own mother. Even more so after her daughter Aradia had abandoned her to be a hero in the night.

As Karkat entered his room, he pulled off the locket from around his neck. He sat on his bed and held it tightly, pausing for a moment to open it and stare at the photo of Kankri. His brother had been the best person in the world to Karkat. He honestly couldn’t believe it’d been almost twelve years since he’d watched his brother die to that brat Alpha Kid on a dumb hoverboard. Almost twelve years since he had become a part of Vriska’s gang. The five of them may have been young but from the start, they were aware of their futures. Vriska’s older sister dying in a fight as well, it made her the perfect teammate for Karkat. They gathered Gamzee after he declared himself Karkat’s best friend. Next came Terezi, her ability to track people just by scent was impeccable and very helpful. Kanaya joined in after her sister Porrim left her to fend for herself. They formed the gang ‘Arachnid's Grip’ and never looked back. Vriska leading them into fights, Karkat dealing mainly with the thievery.

There was a knock at the door and Karkat looked up as Kanaya slid in. “I saw the way you looked at that boy. I saw the way he looked back at you. Can you now see the color of this room, the brightness?”

Karkat groaned and fell back on his bed. “A fucking Beta Kid. How did I get so lucky oh boy,” he muttered as he placed his hands over his face.

Kanaya giggled. “How do you think Damara felt when she found her soulmate was someone who tried fighting for people to stop fighting? She pushed that aside and let herself love Kankri. From what I’ve been told there were no other lovers compared to them.”

“That is entirely different from a villain being a soulmate to an arrogant brat of a hero.” He rolled over and set the locket around the nail that stuck out from the wall above his bed. Karkat heard more voices downstairs then there should be and he quickly ran out of the room and down the stairs grinning. “Fef!” He called out.

The tall aquatic troll turned and smiled. “Kar!” She replied, embracing him in a hug. She looked him over with pride. “God I haven’t seen you in what...three years?”

Karkat laughed. “Where on Earth have you guys been! We missed you!”

“You couldn’t have missed us that much,” said another voice. Karkat turned and was happy to see another all too familiar face.

“Eridan! God, you’ve certainly got a new outfit there,” Karkat said, marveling at the cape Eridan had added to his outfit.

Three other members of Eridan’s gang slid out. Equius and Sollux were deep in conversation, Nepeta running full speed at Karkat and jumping into a hug. “Karkitty!” She exclaimed as she held him tightly. She let go and bounced up and down. “I’ve missed you so so much!”

Karkat grinned and regained his balance. “I’ve missed you a lot too. It’s not the same pulling a cat burglary without the other cat of this group,” he said in a joking voice. Nepeta laughed with him, before suddenly grabbing his hand and whisking him away up to his room. “Nepeta why-”

“You found your soulmate!” She cut him off, whispering excitedly. Karkat quickly shut the door, Nepeta continuing in her excited rant. “Who is it! It’s obviously no one here since you’ve known us all since you were very young so it has to be someone else! Tavros and Aradia are valid since you haven’t ever met them but it doesn’t make sense, they’re heroes and you’re a villain and-” she paused, staring at Karkat. “Holy shit it’s a Beta Kid.”

Karkat looked at her with wide eyes. “Shut up no it’s not!”

“It is! It is! Which one! I won’t tell I swear!” She crossed an ‘X’ over her heart quickly, attempting to seal the idea she wouldn’t spill.

Karkat groaned and laid back against the door. “Red Knight. The stupid asshole that everyone likes for some dumb reason. He’s the worst hero in that damn group.”

Nepeta let out a purring sound. “I think it sounds like you really do like him. You’re just scared because Damara would kill you. I think what’s more important is what Kankri would say.”

Karkat crossed his arms and looked away from her. “You sound like Kanaya.”

Nepeta laughed. “Well, then Kanaya and I are right. Kankri would want you to go after him! After everything you’ve been through you deserve this. Besides it’s not like Damara pays attention to you anymore unless you’ve got money for her.”

“Don’t say that,” Karkat snapped, “Damara has done so much for me and I owe her everything.”

Nepeta sighed and sat on his bed. “Karkat, we’ve been friends for a very long time. We’ve been partners in crime for a long time as well. We are similar in many ways. We cover our horns, we hide our tails. We wear hoods and protect ourselves from being outcasted by the world by not existing to it. We’re shadows. It’s a lonely life. Even with our gangs, we are still alone. So I beg of you, try and love him. Try and give yourself a better life than what’s here.”

Karkat sat next to her and held her waist as she rested her head on his arms, just below his shoulders. He looked at the ceiling, heart, and thoughts racing. “I suppose if a cat like you can fall in love with a fish like Feferi, I can find a way to work with a human.” Nepeta giggled, Karkat joining in. As he laughed, Karkat planned his moves. Luring in heroes had always been a talent, causing a racket before vanishing to throw them off of his trail. This time though, he’d stay still. He’d wait for them to come to him. Then he’d figure out the plan at the moment after all cats are meant to land and think on their feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nepeta saying holy shit is so important


	3. Of Blood and Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look, my friend drew Karkat - http://ichigo6769.deviantart.com/art/stray-away-677801732  
> That should give you a better description of what these guys look like (Granted they all look a little different)

“Where do you think you’re going?” Terezi asked from her spot on the couch. She was dimly lit by the side table lamp by her feet. She was fiddling with a Rubix cube.

Karkat threw his hood up over his head and readjusted his mask. “I’m going out. You don’t have a problem with that do you?” He snapped.

Terezi set the cube down and stood up. “No, I don’t. What I do have a problem with is you hiding your horns and tail. Every time you go out there you hide the aspects of you that make you a troll. What makes you fit in here.”

Karkat rolled his eyes. “Ask Nepeta about that. Now I’ve gotta go and you should be asleep.” He ran out the door before she could say another word. He made sure his hood was all the way up and he leaped up to grab onto the horizontal part of the nearest street lamp. He crouched there, his body made up a small bit differently than the others, allowing him to move and sit more like a cat than any other troll. He even ran on all fours, it was easier in his opinion. As the moon rose higher, he jumped back down to the sidewalk and moved forward. He hid in the shadows and ducked into alleyways when a car or a person walked by. He could feel his anxiety rising by the second. He was rarely out by himself. Usually, Vriska or Gamzee joined him on these late night walks. He heard a sound behind him and turned around frantically to see ‘Red Knight’ standing there, leaning against a wall.

“Shouldn’t you get back to your alleyway? Pretty kitties shouldn’t wonder the streets,” the Knight said with a grin. Karkat noticed the idiot was wearing shades. Who the hell wore shades at night? Karkat tried turning and walking away but the Knight flew up and hovered upside down in the air in front of Karkat. “How are you adjusting to these new colors.”

Karkat huffed and went around the Knight. “I’m adjusting fine because I don’t spend time stalking my so-called soulmate. Now leave me alone before I decide to go steal something just to piss you off.”

The Knight snorted and landed back on his feet. “Well as your ‘so-called soulmate’ I’ll have you know my name is Dave and try stealing anything I’ll stop you pretty easily.”

Karkat turned to stare at him, pulling his hood down. “My name is fuck you and clearly you can’t since I’ve stolen about ten thousand dollars worth of shit and you’ve yet to catch me.” It felt strange to wear his hood down in front of a Beta Kid. This was a guy whose entire goal was to catch Karkat. Yet, here he was. Flirting. “I hope you’re aware that just because we happen to be soulmates, I don’t like you. After how badly the Alpha Kids fucked up my life, I’m not falling for a fanboy who dreams of being everyone’s hero.” Karkat hopped up on the nearest stair rail and stared back down at Dave. “Beat me to the top of this building and I’ll humor you with a conversation. Lose and I won’t see you for another year, deal?”

Dave grinned. “Deal.”

Karkat jumped up to another ledge, gripping a railing. “Alright, get set go.” He climbed up suddenly, laughing. There was no way Dave would beat him. He’d been climbing these railings his whole life. Kankri’s biggest mission every day was getting a young Karkat down from them. Eventually, that job fell on Damara, but she wasn’t as good at it and would usually just watch him go instead of chasing after him. Karkat finally reached the top of the building and grinned, no sight of Dave anywhere.

“Hey, you are really bad at that whole climbing thing.” Karkat swirled around and looked to find Dave sitting on the edge of the roof, grinning. “Well seems I won, so now you’ve gotta stay and play nice.”

Karkat snorted. “I said I’d have a conversation. I never said anything about being nice. So go ahead. Ask me anything you want. I’ll decide if I answer or not.”

Dave stood up and walked towards Karkat, who in turned walked away from Dave. “Alright, well what’s your name? I’m not gonna go around calling you Stray.”

Karkat shrugged. “If you must know, my name is Karkat Vantas. You though are not allowed to whisper that anywhere. Not to your friends, not to your child fans, no one. I have a reputation of not existing to keep up.”

“Vantas. Like Kankri Vantas. As in the infamous Dancestor who stood side by side with Dragon and killed the Alpha Kids?” Dave said. Karkat was a bit taken aback by the use of Damara’s old villain name. He hadn’t heard it used in ages.

Karkat sighed. “That’s the story they’re telling eh? That’s wrong.”

 

“Then what’s the truth? Let me guess, the Dancestors aren’t bad they’re just misunderstood?” Dave said sarcastically, crossing his arms.

Karkat glared at him. “Kankri was my older brother. He died to that Alpha Kid named Puppeteer. He died protecting Dragon and me. He’d never hurt a soul. He wanted the fighting to stop. He wanted trolls to fit in with the humans as if we had always been here. When Dragon killed Puppeteer it was revenge for him murdering my brother and her soulmate. He deserved it.”

Dave stepped up to stand by Karkat. “Is-is that true?” Karkat nodded, hugging his body tightly and lowering his head. “You know, out of all the Alpha Kids, I think Puppeteer was my least favorite. He was super lame and I never got the hype around him.”

Karkat looked over and laughed. “Y’know his outfit was always the dumbest thing.”

Dave smirked. “Well here’s a new question, Why do you wear that mask? And don’t trolls have like...tails or something?”

Karkat brushed a hand over the side of his mask. “After my brother died, I learned that humans didn’t care about trolls. They don’t like us. So, I decided the best way to fit in with the humans was to not exist. Stay away from the light. Hide my horns and tail. Exist only by name. The others don’t really agree. The only one who understands this method is Grimalkin.”

Dave looked over, eyes widening. “I’ve heard of her! Isn’t her body shaped more like a cat than a human? Like she walks on all fours and her eyes glow and she’s basically fucking terrifying?”

Karkat nodded. “Yeah, that sounds about right. She and I grew up side by side. We learned that being feral was a good defense. Fast motions, quiet steps.”

There was a sudden clang from the stairwell, a voice calling up. “Hey Stray you up there? It’s close to sunrise!” Dave recognized it as Eightball.

Karkat’s eyes widened. He turned to Dave. “Go! If she sees you here she’ll kill you and then me!” Dave nodded and quickly flew away from where Vriska was coming from. Karkat sighed and once he was sure Dave wouldn’t be seen by her, he replied. “Yeah, I’m here. I must have lost track of time.”

Vriska jumped up and hugged Karkat from behind. “You should really stop walking alone. You end up thinking and it’s not a good thing.”

 

Karkat nodded. “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thrive on comments thanks my dudes


	4. In It Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't edit this rn so it's probs shit

Dave sighed as he laid back on the couch of the apartment he shared with his friends. He just couldn’t get rid of his grin. Karkat was wonderful. That was all that had run through his head after he left. Karkat got his humor, his sarcasm. He was the best soulmate Dave could have asked for, he didn’t even mind if the guy was a thief and worked closely with murderers. “If this turns out to be a trap no one is going to feel sorry,” Jade said as she walked behind the couch, carrying a basket of dirty laundry. 

Dave laughed and sat up. “He could lure me into a trap and kill me and I’d thank him." Jade rolled her eyes and kept walking. Dave walked to the window and looked outside. As he looked across the flat roofs of the apartment buildings, he felt his heart pick up pace. He walked to his room and looked at his Alpha Kid figurines. The ones he worshiped as a child. Without second thought he pulled an empty moving box from the corner of his room and threw all the figures inside. He tore down the posters and tossed in the shirts. Anything related to the Alpha Kids went in the box. He didn’t want it. He didn’t need it.

He lifted up the box and opened his window. He took a deep breath before tossing it down, everything dropping down to the sidewalk. Falling eight stories or blowing off into the wind. Two days ago this would have killed him. Now, he watches it go without an ounce of guilt or remorse. God, he really was in deep. “Did I just see you throw all your Alpha Kid stuff out the window?” Dave turned around to see John standing in his doorway.

Dave shrugged. “I came across some information and learned they aren’t as cool as I thought they were. They’re jerks.”

John stepped a little further into the room and looked towards a long katana in the corner of Dave’s room. “What about that? You know, the vintage blade used by Puppeteer himself? Your favorite of the Alpha Kids? The guy you worship?”

Dave groaned. “Don’t remind me that he was my favorite. I’m keeping that because it was my bro’s, technically. He stole it from Puppeteer I guess and now it’s mine. So it’s not really memorabilia.” John shrugged and walked out of the room, Dave turning around to shut the window. He turned to look at the katana once again, sitting lightly against the windowsill and throwing his head back. Not only had he lied to Karkat, but he’d also sealed himself in a tough spot. Either ignore everything that he’d grown up loving or lose his soulmate. Normally he’d play it cool, be himself in the day and when he saw Karkat he could just fall into a fake person to be Karkat’s ideal soulmate. But, that would be with anyone else. Anyone else he knew would be someone he could fake it with. He wouldn’t have a problem with lying to them. With Karkat he wanted to be himself no matter what. He wanted to be real and there in the moment with him forever. God, he was in so deep.

He remembered he hadn’t visited the hospital kids in a while, they probably missed him. He quickly threw on his cape and rushed out the door, heart still pounding from the night before.

He knocked on a window on the sixth floor of the hospital and a small nine year old boy threw open the window excitedly. “Hey! You've finally decided to visit!” He had light brown hair and bright green eyes, he always gave a smile no matter his sickness.

Dave laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair, entering the room. “Yeah I know. I've been pretty busy lately, seeing as I, uh, met my soulmate.”

The boy, Connor, grinned even wider. “Really! What's his name? When'd you meet him!”

Dave snickered. “Well for one, how'd you guess it was a him? For two, sadly I can't tell you any of that as he’s sworn me to secrecy.”

Connor sat back on his bed and kicked his feet back and forth. “Well either way he must be pretty cool if he's your soulmate. You think he’s cool right?”

Dave laughed and nodded, sitting down beside Connor. “Yeah he’s really cool. I really like him but I don’t know if he thinks the same of me.”

“Why not?”

“Well he’s not a very social person and he hasn’t had the best experience with other people in his life. Especially when it comes to soulmates so he’s just a little scared to get close I guess,” Dave said with a shrug. He knew it was probably wrong to say all this about Karkat but he wasn’t using Karkat’s name and it was only Connor he was telling this to.

Connor leaned back against Dave’s arm. “Well I think he sounds amazing and I think that maybe one day he’ll be social and I can maybe meet him.”

Dave chuckled. “Maybe one day. Now you get back to rest before the nurses get mad at me again.” Connor crawled up to the top of the bed and Dave opened the window, taking a final glance back at the kid with a sigh. He’d have only three more months with him, and he could only hope he’d be prepared for a goodbye at that point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Connor is my son sure would be a shame if something happened to him : )


	5. Fate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me??? Stalling on writing this chapter bc im lazy??? yeah that's right.
> 
> http://sta.sh/010wdktfvax8 <\---- A ref for Nepeta, Feferi, and Kanaya's outfits bc they're described a lil bit in this chapter

Kanaya watched as Nepeta and Karkat jumped down from the tall streetlamp above the group’s heads. “Seems clear to me,” Nepeta said as he moved her body down back to all fours.

Karkat nodded as a second reassurance. “Why do we even have to join you two anyway? You usually don’t need backup when it’s just you guys,” he added as a quick remark as he walked towards Kanaya.

Feferi helped Nepeta readjust her jacket as she said, “We just thought you two could use a little distraction from Vriska and Terezi’s big fight. Poor Gam got caught in the middle didn’t he?” Karkat laughed and nodded. Feferi grinned and the four moved forward. Kanaya caught Karkat’s gaze up at the stars and smiled a little bit. He was supposed to be innocent, the good apple of the bunch. When Kankri died and Damara began training him, Kanaya’s elder sister Porrim vanished without a cause and although Kanaya knew it was because of Karkat she just couldn’t bring herself to hate him. In fact, she adored him. The wild and cocky boy who just wanted the best for those he loved had enticed Kanaya into acting as a guardian for him.

Kanaya turned her head to look at Nepeta and felt her heart drop. Nepeta was half the reason Karkat was so willing to help the others in their crimes. The young girl was a killer, she had killed about six people. Thankfully Karkat didn’t find interest in murder but Kanaya was still concerned his thirst for revenge would go too far. “Hide,” Nepeta whispered.

Kanaya and Karkat slid into the shadows of a tall building while Nepeta and Feferi checked around, quietly watching a young woman and her friends walking down the sidewalk on the other side of the street. They were stumbling and wearing bright flashy outfits, obviously walking home from a night at the club. Kanaya envied girls like that. She wanted to go dancing in bright outfits with her friends, a drink in hand and smile on her face. She longed for that life, for that feeling. Her heart picked up pace when she watched Nepeta and Feferi shifting and quiet walking across the road to be behind the girls. Kanaya wanted to tell the girls to run. She so desperately wanted to warn them. Instead, she held her lips tightly pursed together and held in tears as Feferi silently shot one of the girls with her crossbow. The others screamed but only for a moment before Nepeta took them out. Just three more deaths. Three more murders tied to the trolls. To Kanaya.

Nepeta and Feferi walked back to where the others were and Kanaya could tell Karkat was also uncomfortable but was playing it off for Nepeta. “Nightclubs will ruin us all,” he muttered backhandedly, a comment pleasing both Nepeta and Kanaya with its double meaning. The cold night air was starting to get to Kanaya. All three of her friends on this mission had something to cover them. Nepeta had her jacket, Karkat had his outfit in general, and Feferi had her cape. Kanaya had nothing but her thin sleeves.

Once again, Kanaya turned to watch Karkat as he spoke with Feferi. What was it about him on this specific night that drew her to him. Was it the fear of him being hurt? Was it the way they’d spoken the night before? Karkat describing his world with color and how wonderful it had become since he’d gained the vision. He described everything to Kanaya without missing a beat. Kanaya wondered, what was it like? To see color. To be in love. It must be wonderful if it could make him genuinely smile. She wanted to know the colors too. The brightness and the joy that Karkat was able to see.

A shadow flew over the group’s head and a noise could be heard from above them on the roof of a small flower shop. Feferi signaled to Nepeta to stick close to her, Karkat falling in beside Kanaya. Feferi and Karkat grabbed the small black handles that they could transform into their weapons, Kanaya pulling out her lipstick that could form into her chainsaw.

From the roof jumped one of the beta kids, the one more specifically that was Karkat’s soulmate. He didn’t seem to care about anyone except Karkat, grinning in the shorter troll’s direction. “Well hello if it isn’t this town’s very own pretty little kitty.”

Karkat snorted and shook his head. “Shut up stalker. What are you even doing here?” Karkat asked.

“I was dragged here by her,” he said, pointing up to the roof. The four looked up to see another figure, and she silently dropped down and Kanaya could recognize her as Bittersweet. She’d seen her picture in the papers, but something was strange. In every photo, she kept her head turned sideways. In fact, her head was sideways right now.

Kanaya heard a snap from Feferi and Nepeta started moving closer towards the two. Kanaya turned to Karkat who was very obviously conflicted on what to do. Kanaya could only pray her plan would work as she suddenly started up her chainsaw, scaring Nepeta and causing her to jump and pause. It shocked Bittersweet and the girl turned her head to look at Kanaya and suddenly, there was a bright flash. When the white had faded, there were suddenly new colors. Her heart pounded as she and Bittersweet kept their locked gaze.

Kanaya took a step towards the girl, Bittersweet taking a step back away from Kanaya. “I just remembered Star System wants me to help with the...thing at the house.” She quickly took off, running along the sidewalk quickly away from the group.

Kanaya quickly swallowed back the words she wanted to say to Bittersweet and changed them as she looked towards her friends. “I...should go help Eightball haha...she’s gonna need to be calmed down or something,” she quietly backed up across the street and vanished into the shadows on the other sidewalk across from the others.

Feferi and Nepeta watched them both go and groaned. “Well great we lost her. Stray let's finish this round. Unless you have some strange awkward excuse as well?” Feferi asked.

Karkat looked towards Dave and smirked. “You two go ahead. I’ll deal with this one.” Feferi and Nepeta seemed okay with that answer and they started off to continue their survey rounds. Karkat turned back to Dave. “Alright so were you really dragged here?”

Dave nodded. “I swear on all things in existence that I had no clue you’d be here. Just a very nice coincidence.” Dave started circling Karkat, Karkat watching his every move.

“Well, it sure would be lovely if there was another very nice coincidence tomorrow night on the rooftop where we first spoke,” Karkat said slyly, a hint of joy in his voice.

Dave nodded. “Sure would. I guess we will see if fate is on our side.” Dave lifted one of Karkat’s hands and bowed, placing a light kiss on Karkat’s knuckles. He stood up straight and with a quick wink, he jumped into the air, hovering and stalling for a quick second before vanishing up into the dark night sky. Karkat rubbed his wrist with a soft sigh, a light smile resting on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im gay lmao
> 
> i thrive on comments pls give them to me


	6. Right and Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uh
> 
>  
> 
> totally didn't procrastinate on this........
> 
>  
> 
> n o p e
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>  
> 
> also i didn't rlly edit it so??? yeah??

“Okay, okay. Uh...what about something you have never told anyone else.” Dave and Karkat had been meeting on the rooftop almost every night for three weeks. On this particular night they sat with their backs pressed against each other, Karkat’s head resting back on Dave’s shoulder. The last three weeks had been wonderful. Starting off with snarky comments and from there they moved to soft physical contact, lying on each other's laps and holding hands. It was nice for them to get away from what was expected of them.

Karkat hummed as he thought of an answer to Dave’s question. “I guess... I am a huge fan of romance novels and movies.” Dave laughed and Karkat lightly jabbed him in the back with his elbow. “Shut up. Just because I’m a villain that does not mean I can’t love a little romance once and awhile. Now it’s your turn to answer the question.”

Dave sighed. “Well I guess...I’m jealous of you and all the other trolls.”

Karkat sat up and shifted to be next to Dave. “What?”

“Well it’s just you guys are so close and you take care of each other no matter what and I just wish I could have that.” Karkat linked his arm with Dave’s and held their hands together gently. “You’re just one big amazing family. I’d give anything to have something like that.”

“What about the beta kids?”

“Eh we’re close but really only because of the whole hero thing.”

Kar stared at the ground for a bit before sighing and lightly pressing his nose into Dave’s neck. “Well technically you're part of my family. Even if they don't really know about you.”

Dave snorted and broke into a small fit of laughter. “That’s it, I’m cutting you off the shitty romance media. From now on it’s Breaking Bad and Star Wars.”

“Oh I refuse to go anywhere near Star Wars. It’s too similar to Harry Potter and damn I have a friend who has been corrupted by that wizard sin movie,” Karkat said as he moved ever so slightly away from Dave.

“Wizard sin movie. I never imagined I’d hear those words strung together in that order in a singular sentence.” Karkat rolled his eyes. “Okay but for real my question. Uh...what’s with the symbol deal-y on your outfit?”

Karkat looked down at his shirt and shrugged. “It’s apparently the symbol for blood? I’m not quite sure Dam-Dragon said it’s got something to do with me carrying on my brother’s legacy? I’m apparently a knight and he was a seer.”

Dave let out an interested huff. “Well then, that’s new. My symbol-outfit bullshit is about time or whatever? It’s lame though because I share it with this girl hero who goes by the name Phantom, heard of her?”

Karkat snorted. “Yeah I have. She’s Dragon’s daughter. That makes her technically my sister or whatever. She abandoned the rest of the trolls when she met that annoying excuse for a hero Bad Blood. What kind of a name is Bad Blood! Eight Ball was right in breaking his legs.”

“It was Eight Ball who broke BB’s legs? Damn that girl has a grip…”

“We aren’t called the Arachnid’s Grip for nothing you know. We’re pretty damn tough when we want to be.”

“And...BB was a need to be situation?”

“He took one of our closest friends away. Eight Ball did exactly what everyone else wanted to do. She was just brave enough to go through with it.”

Dave awkwardly rubbed his arm. He could lie and say he despised the other hero duo and have to keep that in forever along with the other shit or he could defend his friends and risk losing the love of his life. Damn these choices were the ones that always sucked for him. He decided on the easiest way out, changing the topic. “Uh...your question.” Good going Dave, perfect. Chill. Cool. Not suspicious at all.

Karkat stared at Dave in confusion for a moment before deciding to think of a question. “What was your family like?”

Dave grew flustered and awkward, letting out an uncomfortable cough. “It uh...was fine I guess.”

“You’re lying.”

“What!”

Karkat shook his head and let out a small sigh. “Listen, I was seven when my brother died. Immediately after that I made Dragon begin training me to get revenge. I was there when the alpha kids died. I watched every single one of them suffer. All for the sake of my brother. Dragon murdered Puppeteer… her whole thing was being against murder. Still, she killed him for me. For Kankri. I know what a shitty life is. You can tell me how fucked up your family was. I won’t judge.”

Dave gave Karkat a small smile, nodding. “Alright well...it was pretty shit. I was raised by my brother and he hated me. He’d hurt me and fight me with his damned swords. Always saying it would make me stronger. It never did though. Then one day he leaves me with his prized sword and just...vanishes. He was in and out in an instant. I never even heard him say a goodbye.”

“Oh...well damn. Well wherever he is, he’s probably living a damn shitty life without your coolness in it,” Karkat said in hopes to cheer Dave up.  
Dave shrugged and nodded a small bit. “Yeah I suppose so. But screw him. I’ve got you.”

Karkat felt himself blushing and stared at Dave longingly. “W-What about the other beta kids?”

Dave shrugged. “Yeah they’re cool but you’re the best of everyone I know.”

Karkat watched Dave ever so slightly leaning towards him and his heart picked up. Quickly he stood up and started backing away from Dave. “I-I have to go. I… I’ll see you next week.” He turned and ran, jumping across buildings in a straight line, no time for fancy patterns. He jumped onto his house’s roof and sat there, breathing heavily. “What in fuck am I doing with him!”

“Karkat? Is that you?” Terezi called up.

“Uh...y-yeah. Just catching a little night air.”

Terezi climbed onto the roof quickly, and impressive feat for someone who was blind. She scooted over to Karkat and sighed. “Alright, do your weird vague spill. I won’t tell Damara or Vriska anything you say to me tonight,” she stated, head tilted up to the night sky.

Karkat grinned, god he was lucky to have someone like Terezi as a friend. “Alright so...say you made friends with someone you’re supposed to hate. And you want to be friends with them really badly but you keep thinking it’s a mistake and one day you know you’ll slip up...and one day one of the people on either end will hate you. What would you do?”

Terezi shrugged. “Well depends. If you care about the person you’re supposed to hate the most, run away with them. Far from everyone else. If you care about the people you’re supposed to love, stay with them. If you love both parties equally then come clean. No secrets. I’m sure everyone would understand.”

“Damara won’t understand this…”

“You underestimate her Karkat.” Terezi stood and prepared to jump off the roof and go back in the house but paused for a moment and turned to Karkat. “I want to meet this matesprit of yours. I’ve never gotten the chance to be friendly with a human and he seems like the perfect subject.”

“How did you-”

“Karkat, I know you too well. You can’t keep secrets from me. It won’t work.” With that, Terezi went back inside and Karkat was left on the roof. He watched the stars above and sighed.

“Kankri, what the hell would you do in this situation? I’m stuck and really need some brotherly advice.” Karkat received no answer to his question and groaned. “Well guess I’m stuck figuring this mess out alone.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my tumblr is now Karkatt-Peixes.tumblr.com so yeah

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is Alexxander.Lightwoods please follow me im a dying industry


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